Tea time

Cultivate Taste connects tea lovers and novices alike

Sometimes there’s nothing to warm the soul like a comforting cup of tea — and that’s exactly why Cultivate Taste aims to share a passion for the beverage with everyone.

Cultivate Taste owner Jennifer Nowicki knows a thing or two about what goes into an outstanding cup. She became a certified tea specialist at the Specialty Tea Institute in New York City in 2009. After running a tea room in Milwaukee’s Third Ward, she moved back home to the Green Bay area to start Cultivate Taste in December 2014.

“For the first two years, I was kind of slowly working on it,” Nowicki says. “Then last year, I started to really focus on the business.”

Today, Cultivate Taste sells various teas and tea wares online. The business also does some wholesaling and offers tea-related classes.

Nowicki looks to expand by landing more wholesale accounts and offering additional catering services, which she knows from experience are popular for events.

“When I had my tea room in Milwaukee, I did at least three dozen different bridal and baby showers,” she says.

Nowicki values the opportunity to connect with customers and other tea lovers.

“There are some people who are really into tea here, and I enjoy talking to them,” she says.

Nowicki gets equal enjoyment from educating and enlightening people who might not be as informed about what it takes to produce a delicious cup of tea.

“There are plenty of people who have questions, and I like to answer those and help them,” she says. “I really like the aspect of connecting with my customers.”